Global Courant 2023-05-01 01:40:07
The FBI in Houston has released new photos of a fugitive who allegedly killed five people in an execution-style mass shooting on Friday night.
A manhunt continued Sunday afternoon, more than 24 hours after Francisco Oropesa, 38, allegedly shot five of his neighbors in their home, including an 8-year-old boy in Cleveland, Texas.
Oropesa is in the country illegally and has been illegally evicted, an ICE source told Fox News Digital. He has illegally entered the US “several” times, and ICE last met him in 2016, the course said.
The four new photos include three of Oropesa’s face and one of a large tattoo of a woman with a headdress on one of his arms.
MEXICAN NATIONAL WANTED IN DEATH SHOOTING OF 5 NEIGHBORS IN TEXAS ‘MIGHT BE ANYWHERE’, SAYS SHERIFF
The FBI posted new photos of fugitive Francisco Oropesa on Sunday, including a prominent tattoo on his arm. (F.B.I. Houston)
FBI Houston said it would spell its name “Oropesa” instead of “Oropeza” in the future, as it had done Saturday “to better reflect his identity in law enforcement systems. This remains a fluid investigation.”
At a press conference Sunday afternoon, San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers and FBI Houston special agent James Smith announced that there is an $80,000 reward from the governor’s office, state agencies and the FBI for tips leading to an investigation. lead to arrest.
“We don’t know where he is, that’s why we came up with this reward,” Smith told reporters, adding that he’s sure Oropesa has contacted friends, they just need to find out who. “We have zero leads,” he added.
Capers told reporters, “My main intention and focus is 100% on capturing this suspect.” He said there are now more than 200 law enforcement officers looking for Oropesa.
In an earlier tweet on Sunday, the FBI said, “The multi-agency search for suspect Francisco Oropeza continues this morning. Reminder, if you see him, DO NOT approach him. He is armed and dangerous. If you have a lead on his whereabouts , please call the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office at 936-653-4367.”
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told Chuck Todd on “Meet the Press” Sunday that he would not “comment” on Oropesa’s immigration status — he is a Mexican national — after Todd said there was a question about him being a ” consulate card, which means he was here legally, but maybe he had stayed too long?”
Mayorkas replied, “I won’t comment on it because it’s an active case. The tragedy that happened is…just absolutely horrific.”
“He could be anywhere now,” Capers said Saturday night, adding that investigators have widened their perimeter from about 5 or 6 square miles to “as many as 10 or 20, depending on whether he passed the highline wire or not.”
Authorities found an abandoned cell phone and items of clothing lying around, and Texas Department of Correction sniffer dogs “picked up a scent and then lost that scent in the water,” the sheriff said.
SHOOTING IN TEXAS: SUSPECTED OF KILLING 5 NEIGHBORS AFTER REQUEST TO STOP GUN FIRE
The victims have been identified as Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25; Daniel Enrique Laso Guzman, 8; Diana Velázquez Alvarado, 21; Julia Molina Rivera, 31; and Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18.
Oropesa allegedly shot the victims after one of them asked him to stop firing bullets outside his home just before midnight. They were all shot “from the neck up” in their home, Capers said.
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Capers said there were 10 people in the home, including three children who were uninjured — some of whom had just moved in earlier this week — but no one else was hurt. He said two of the victims were found in a bedroom lying above two children in an apparent attempt to protect them.
A criminal history investigation uncovered at least one DUI charge from 2009 against a man of the same name and age. Capers said deputies had been called to Oropesa’s home at least once before for “shooting his gun into the yard,” which isn’t necessarily illegal if someone is shooting on their own property.
Danielle Wallace, Adam Sabes and The Associated Press of Fox News contributed to this report.
